Online world firm Trion World Network announced the appointment of Kevin Beardslee as senior development director for its massively multiplayer online game co-developed with the Sci-Fi Channel.

Previously, Beardslee founded Carbine Studios, an NCSoft North America division, where he helped create and oversee the development for an unannounced MMO. Before that, he worked with Blizzard Entertainment as a lead animator on World of Warcraft.

Beardslee will work from Trion's San Diego studio on an original IP created as part of a collaboration with cable network channel and brand Sci-Fi. The partnership falls under Sci-Fi Ventures, the company's "portfolio of media and non-media businesses that leverage its brand outside of the television space."

Sci-Fi and Trion hope to create an "immersive cross-media entertainment experience" that invites the audience to participate in the developing storyline presented through a Sci-Fi Channel television show and a Trion-published game. Sci-Fi also recently announced that writer Peter Egan (The Dresden Files) will handle the script for the show's pilot episode.

“We are making terrific progress with the joint Trion – Sci Fi project and are proud to announce the addition of these two new key hires,” says Trion World Network's founder and CEO Lars Buttler. “Kevin and Peter both represent the pinnacle of their respective fields in game design and television writing, and their vast experience and creativity are powerful additions to our already talented project teams.”

[The preceding article by Eric Caoili originally appeared on Worlds in Motion sister site Gamasutra.]